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I'm trying to simplify a Shapefile by opening it in QGIS, Go to the Vector menu, selecting Geometry tools, and selecting Simplify Geometries...

When I do this I get a modal window that I can fill out completely except the very first menu titled 'Input line or polygon vector layer.'

Can anyone help me understand why this might be? modal

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  • The title of the tool you have in screen capture is "Extract nodes". Did you add a wrong image to your question?
    – user30184
    Commented Aug 11, 2015 at 14:47
  • No, this is the modal I get when selecting Simplify Geometries. Can you show me what yours looks like when you select the same option?
    – Kyle Plattner
    Commented Aug 11, 2015 at 16:04
  • "Simplify geometries" as in the answer by @Kurt. If you still get "Extract nodes" by selecting the simplify tool I suggest you to re-install QGIS.
    – user30184
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 7:12
  • So I was able to get the right modal to come up (updated image above) now but I still nothing happens when I click the drop down below 'Input line or polygon layer.' Consequently I still cannot perform a simplify action.
    – Kyle Plattner
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 14:15
  • All the vector layers which have been added to the map and which are either lines or polygons should appear in the drop down menu. Do you have such layers in your map?
    – user30184
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 14:48

2 Answers 2

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as user30184 told you: It looks like you did select "extract nodes". selecting "simplify geometry" you should see something like this (my screenshot is from windows); enter image description here

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  • So I was able to get the right modal to come up now but I still nothing happens when I click the drop down below 'Input line or polygon layer.' Consequently I still cannot perform a simplify action.
    – Kyle Plattner
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 14:14
  • Have you added any vector layer to the canvas?
    – Kurt
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 15:47
  • I opened a shapefile. Does that count as adding a vector layer?
    – Kyle Plattner
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 17:08
  • yes. strange - you should be able to use this line or ply shape for simplifying or is your shapefile a point.file????
    – Kurt
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 18:20
  • I'm not sure. Here is one of the files I am trying: cl.ly/cDUk.
    – Kyle Plattner
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 19:41
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You may want to try opening the original shape file, then save it with another file name, then open that file to see if you are able to choose it for editing.

I have had issues in the past with trying to edit the original shape file.

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